Forgotten ex-Chelsea star and Premier League winner announces retirement at 38 and is set for fairytale ending

FORMER CHELSEA star Filipe Luis is set for a fairytale ending to his career after announcing his retirement aged 38.

The 38-year-old left-back confirmed on Thursday that he will hang up his boots at the end of the season.

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Felipe Luis won the Premier League during his one season at Chelsea[/caption]

Reuters

The Brazilian left-back will retire at the end of the season with Flamengo[/caption]

And that means that this Sunday will likely be the last match that he plays for Flamengo – and it will take place at the legendary Maracana Stadium.

Luis made the decision after playing through several injuries this year but did state in a video to fans published by his club that he had wanted to play on until he was 45.

However, he says that his physical problems and the toll of those injuries have made that impossible.

Now he is likely to get his farewell against Cuiab in the penultimate round of the Brazilian league.

His team Flamengo, who play their home games at the Maracana, and supporters will both be hoping though that this is not the final goodbye.

Flamengo could still reach the last round with a chance at the title, which means that Luis might also play a match at Sao Paulo.

His Rio de Janeiro-based club are currently in fourth place, three points behind leader Palmeiras.

Luis said: “I promised to myself that I would make the decision to stop if I could not play in a high level.

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“Flamengo deserves someone up to its standards, someone who can play 70 matches a year and fights for a place in the starting team in a fair way.

“I came back to Brazil to play for Flamengo, and since I can’t play for Flamengo I would rather retire and start a new challenge.”

Luis began his professional career in 2003 with Brazilian club Figueirense and then had a brief spell at Real Madrid Castilla.

He moved to fellow Spanish outfit Deportivo La Coruna in 2006 and then signed with Atletico Madrid in 2010.

He played there for five seasons in his first stint before Chelsea swooped for him and brought him to England.

Luis only stayed at Stamford Bridge for one season but helped them to win the Premier League, adding to the LaLiga crown he won with Atletico in 2013.

He returned to Atletico, where he has also lifted the Europa League twice, and remained with them until he headed home to sign for boyhood club Flamengo in 2019.

He won the Copa Libertadores in 2019 and 2022 with them while he has also toasted Brazilian league success twice.

Luis, who earned 44 caps for Brazil, represented them at the 2018 World Cup and won the 2019 Copa America with them.

Now he has revealed that he will pursue a career as a coach or team executive after retirement from playing.